Digs

By Liz Wagner
Collegian Staff
October 10, 2007

Somewhere in the depths of St. Basils Court, at an undisclosed location (though it might, might, be up on the third floor), two boys have created their very own, large as life, army fort.

Sophomores Brian Concannon, a math and finance major, and Matt Gordon, a history and education major, followed up on an idea that they had their freshmen year at La Salle, and decided to create a room that was a fort. The boys searched the Internet for supplies, finally finding a $75 16x16 army camouflage net on Ebay. They were now set. After lofting their beds and installing futons underneath them, they suspended the net from the ceiling. It drapes over the lofted beds to create a very forest-esque, camouflaged feel. Mounted at the entrance of the fort sits a warning, a pirate flag.

As a result, the room now carries a distinct scent of vinyl.

“We use it as a way to protect from aerial attacks,” Gordon said.

On passing through the fort’s door (a silk bedsheet), one enters the living quarters of the pioneering boys. To accompany the realistic army feel, Gordon’s desk is outfitted with a lamp that has a shade made out of an army helmet. The opposite corner of the desk is adorned with a sombrero.

A statue of the top half of a sailor, lovingly christened “Admiral Nelson,” sits holding an iced tea can on top of a Nintendo 64, specifically brought to the room for Mario Kart purposes.

Concannon’s side of the room is a prime example of a person who is proud to be Irish. His rosary hangs from his bedpost, and across the wall he has installed Irish flag plug-in lights. As if this weren’t enough, another flag is tacked to the wall in the midst of all this, and if a person wasn’t so preoccupied with the fort on entering the room, one might even notice the Boondock Saints poster tacked to the opposite wall.

Concannon’s futon has a sign taped above it: “Please Watch Your Head (Please).” Apparently the height of the lofted bed just isn’t high enough for some people, though many don’t read the warning till after they’ve stood up.

So the next time you come to St. Basil’s Court, take a trip to the upper levels and look for the mystery fort. Just make sure the boys don’t decide to take you prisoner.

wanere11@lasalle.edu